Deterring
people from coming to Britain formed a central plank of the
government's agenda, designed in part to woo voters who have switched to
back the UK Independence Party.

The latest YouGov survey showed 57 per cent of people named immigration as being among the top three issues facing the country, its highest level since June 2010 and up 11 per cent on a year ago.

Amid
the pomp and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament - a tradition
which dates back to the 16th century - the Queen unveiled 20 Bills which
the coalition hopes to pass into law in the next year.

Prince Charles attended for the first time in 17 years with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. It comes as
the Queen plans to scale back her public duties and give her son and
heir a bigger role as ‘co-head’ of the royal family.

Peers and dignitaries gathered for the event, which was preceded by the traditional search of the vaults
under Parliament by the Queen's royal bodyguards,
the Yeoman of the Guard. This started after the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and has happened every year since. The custom dates back to centuries when the monarch and Parliament were on less cordial terms, with the men taking lanterns and searching the building for explosives like the ones left by Guy Fawkes.

SCROLL DOWN FOR QUEEN'S SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS

Regal: A smiling Queen Elizabeth II leaves through the Norman Porch of the Palace of Westminster having given her speech to the assembled Lords and MPs today

Departure: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are then led away as the head back to the Palace this afternoon

Exit: The grinning monarch looks pleased that her speech over, as a pleased Charles and Camilla are taken home by carriage

Iconic: The famous outline of the Queen after she announced the Government would impose a fresh clampdown on immigration

David Cameron and Nick Clegg have shelved unpopular policies like
minimum alcohol pricing and plain cigarette packaging, vowing instead to
focus on backing people who 'work hard and want to get on'. They
promised measures to boost ‘fire up’ the private sector' and 'help people get on in life'.

They added: 'More still needs to be done to fire up our private sector and create jobs people need.'

The
Prime Minister and his deputy promised an Immigration Bill will ‘clamp
down on those from overseas who abuse our public services’.

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Buy-to-let landlords will be made
responsible for checking tenants are living in the UK legally, employers
will face tougher fines for hiring illegal workers and limits will be
put on access to the NHS, housing and benefits.

In
a foreword to the Queen’s Speech, they added: ‘We want this country to
attract people who will add to our national life – but those who will
not should be deterred.’

Extra
focus has fallen on plans to deal with the impact of immigration in the
wake of the rise of UKIP, which took almost one in four votes in
last week’s local elections. The Immigration Bill aims to build on
the coalition’s success, which has already seen the number of migrants
fall by a third since 2010.

Mr Cameron said: 'This Immigration Bill is a centrepiece of the Queen's speech. Put simply our immigration bill will back aspiration and end the legacy of the last government where people could come here and expect something for nothing.'

He said the legislation was a priority as under the last Labour government immigration was 'out of control'.

Regal: Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster

Support: Prince Charles sits next to the Queen in the Lords as she announces 20 bills which her Government hopes to pass in the coming year

Concentration: As his mother reads her speech today, Charles and his second wife listen intently to the proposed legislation she announced

Loyal: Her Majesty was accompanied as usual by Prince Philip, but the Queen is understood to be concerned not to put too much strain on her husband, who will be 92 next month

Other
flagship bills will cut red-tape to boost business, create a new
flat-rate pension worth around £140-a-week, cap the costs of social care
to stop families having to sell their homes to pay for elderly
relatives to be looked after.

The Queen told MPs and peers that the government’s first priority is to strengthen Britain’s economic competitiveness.’

This includes building a stronger economy, rewarding people who work hard and tackling the deficit to keep interest rates low.

The
controversial High Speed Rail line linking London to Birmingham, and
then Leeds and Manchester, will move a step closer with two Bills which
will ‘provide further opportunities for economic growth in many of
Britain’s cities’, the Queen said.

Pageantry: Two boys help with the the Queen's parliamentary robe as she prepares to take a seat and give her annual address

Audience: Peers watch Her Majesty as she prepares to give her 2013 Queen's speech

First attendance: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was at her first State Opening of Parliament, while the Queen is attending her 59th as sovereign

Packed: The Queen speaks to the House of Lords today below its grand roof and ornate stained glass windows

The National Insurance costs for every
company will be cut by £2,000, under plans first announced by George
Osborne in the Budget. The move will mean 450,000 employers will pay no
NI contributions at all. The government also promises to cut the burden
of red tape, helping companies to grow and take on more staff.

A pensions bill will create a
flat-rate pension of around £140-a-week from 2016. Under the plan, years
spent away from work looking after children or caring for elderly
relatives will count towards a person’s final pension value.

On crime
and justice, there will be tougher action against anti-social behaviour,
including scrapping the Asbo whole offender rehabilitation and new
rules on controlling dangerous dogs. On defence there will be reform of
the way the Ministry of Defence agrees multi-billion pound equipment
deals.

The Imperial State Crown is carried on a cushion as it arrives for the State Opening of Parliament

Prince Charles touches his cap as he and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, walk through Parliament

Dramatic: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh walk up the stairs towards the House of Lords flanked by the Armed Forces

Her Majesty is led by the hand into the chamber by her 92-year-old husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh

Arriving: Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh arrive for the speech, following Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, into Parliament

In the Commons later, Ed Miliband and David Cameron clashed over the government's plans. The Labour leader said the Queen's Speech failed to address the challenges facing the country.

Mr Miliband said: 'You can't provide the answers the country needs because he is not in control of his party - as someone once said, you are in office but not in power. You are not dealing with the problems of the country. No wonder this Queen's Speech has no answers.

'Three wasted years, today another wasted chance. A no-answers Queen's Speech from a tired and failing Government. Out of touch, out of ideas, standing up for the wrong people and unable to bring the change the country needs.'

But the Prime Minister hit back, claiming Labour has become 'the party of welfare and the whole country can see it'.

He added: 'We are standing up for hard-working people. This is a Queen's speech that will back aspiration and those who want to get on. This is a Queen's speech that will make our country competitive once again.

'This is a Queen's speech that will cut our deficit, grow our economy, deliver a better future for our children and help us to win the global race.'

In the Commons, David Cameron hailed the Queen's Speech for backing 'aspiration' but Labour leader Ed Miliband accused the government of running out of ideas

CHARLES ATTENDS STATE OPENING WITH CAMILLA AS HE TAKES SOME PRESSURE OFF HIS MOTHER

Prince Charles and Camilla attended the State Opening of Parliament today for the first time, as the Queen continued to hand over duties to her son and heir.

It is the first time the Prince of Wales has attended since 1996 and will fuel speculation that he is taking a more active interest in the role of monarch.

Charles and Camilla travelled in their own procession ahead of the Queen.

It follows the surprise announcement by Buckingham Palace yesterday that, in a 40-year first, the Queen will not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. Instead, Charles will take her place at the two-day event in Sri Lanka in November.

Aides reluctantly admitted what has been suspected for some time: that the monarch, who reached the age of 87 last month, was not up to making frequent long-haul trips.

But Charles’ presence at Parliament today suggests it is also part of the carefully-choreographed plan to share the burden of responsibility.

In addition, she is understood to be concerned not to put too much strain on her husband, Prince Philip, who will be 92 next month and still accompanies her on most trips.

It is not long since he received hospital treatment for a heart condition and a recurring bladder infection.

Shoppers will be
given more protection under tighter rules on unfair contract terms
covering goods, services and digital content. More than 60 different
laws will be combined into one.

Other
bills will make it easier for business to protect their intellectual
property, close the Audit Commission, simplify energy prices, offer
compensation to sufferers of some asbestos-related cancers and reform
the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Plans
to tackle childcare costs and improve the quality of nurseries and
childminders will be drawn up, but legislation is not promised.

On
schools, a new National Curriculum is planned this year, along with
reforms of the exams system and teachers’ pay. Ministers also want it to
become the norm that all school leavers start an apprenticeship,
traineeship or go to university.

Mr
Cameron made clear the coalition’s priorities. Writing on Twitter the
Prime Minister said: ‘Bills on growth, immigration, pensions, consumer
rights & social care- today’s Queen’s Speech is for people who work
hard and want to get on.’

Mr
Cameron and Mr Clegg restate their determination to press ahead with
the coalition, amid claims that they have run out of big ideas with two
years to go before the general election.

In
the joint statement they said: ‘In May 2010 we came together to govern
in the national interest. We knew the road ahead would be tough and so
it has proved to be.

‘But
three years on, our resolve to turn our country around has never been
stronger. We know that Britain can be great again because we’ve got the
people to do it.

‘Today’s
Queen’s Speech shows that we will back them every step of the way. It is
all about backing people who work hard and want to get on in life.’

The
Northern Ireland Bill makes technical changes to the way politics and
institutions work in Northern Ireland, including greater transparency
for donations to political parties and stopping people sitting in the NI
Assembly, the House of Commons or Ireland's Dail Eireann at the same
time.

The Draft Wales Bill also stop assembly members sitting as MPs and moves the assembly from a four to a five-year fixed term.

Mr Cameron will kick off a debate on the government's plans in the Commons later.

But speaking this morning Ed Miliband raised doubts about the commitment to tackling problems associated with immigration.

The Labour leader said: 'We’ll look at the Government’s proposals on immigration.

'I’m concerned that there don’t seem to be measures in what they’re proposing to crack down on employers who use legal migration to not pay the minimum wage, recruitment agencies that only hire from overseas, slum landlords that put lots of people in one house – legal migrants.'

He said the government had to do more to respond to 'the deep problems that the country faces – young people who can’t find work, small businesses that can’t get a loan from the bank, and the cost of living crisis that so many families face'

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall walk through the Norman Porch of the Palace of Westminster

The Imperial State Crown is carried through the Norman Porch of the Palace of Westminster

The crown was then followed by the Yeomen of the Guard, the Queen's oldest bodyguards

A senior Labour source said the party would focus its attack on the Queen’s Speech as a ‘wasted opportunity for the country’.

The Gambling (licensing and advertising)
Bill will extend laws to cover remote gambling, to protect people in
Britain who play on websites hosted overseas.

The European Union Approvals Bill is described as a ‘minor, technical Bill’ which gives UK approval to Brussels schemes.

They include Pericles, a training programme to protect the Euro against
counterfeiting and ensuring access to paper and digital historical
archives of the EU from a single site in Florence.

The most potentially contentious project is Europe for Citizens, which
‘aims to promote remembrance of Europe’s history, particularly the wars
and totalitarian regimes of the 20th century’.

‘It also aims to develop understanding of the EU, its history and
policy-making processes and encourage civic participation in the EU.’

Tradition: As The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod approaches the Commons, the door of the Chamber is slammed in his face to demonstrate the supremacy of the Lower House over the Lords

Prime Minister David Cameron walks with the Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband and members from the House of Commons walk through the Central Lobby

Politicians: David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed
Miliband stand in the Lords to listen the Queen's speech along with
Chancellor George Osborne

Procession: The leaders of the three main political parties at Westminster were led into from the Commons by Speaker John Bercow

Unions accused the government of 'scapegoating' migrant workers.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union said: 'With its policies causing untold damage to our economy and our communities it is shameful of the government to try to stoke up even more fear and suspicion of migrants.

'This is not so much 'dog whistle' politics, more a shrill and desperate cry to satisfy the extremes of the Tory party.

'Instead of scapegoating migrants, and forcing people to work longer before being entitled to a state pension, the government should invest to create jobs and opportunities, and target the tax dodgers who deprive our economy of tens of billions of pounds a year.'

But Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes insisted there was 'clearly an issue' that needed to be tackled.

He told BBC News: 'There’s an immigration issue. It’s no good any party including mine running away for that.

' I’ve always had a very clear view we are a country built on immigration – we need students to come here, we need business people to come here, we have a common market which means in which we can go to any other country and they can come here.

'However we need to make sure there aren’t abuses, we’ve had failures in control of our borders.'

Queen Elizabeth rides in a carriage to the Palace of Westminster. She has only missed two State Openings since 1952, because she was pregnant

Event: The Queen starts her trip from Buckingham Palace this morning, accompanied by The Imperial State Crown, which travelled in its own carriage in front of her

On their way: Prince Charles and Camilla,
Duchess of Cornwall ride in a carriage to the Palace of Westminster for
the State Opening of Parliamen

Nimble: The 91-yar-old Duke of Edinburgh climbs out of the state coach as it arrives at Westminster

Chivalrous: Prince Philip then waits for his wife and helps her down before they took the steps up into the building

Crackdown on 2million people who rent out homes and give jobs to illegal immigrants

Almost
2 million people who rent out homes will be made responsible for
checking the immigration status of tenants and face fines of thousands
of pounds if they fail to do so.

Businesses
which use ‘illegal labour’ will face tougher action including more
‘substantial fines’. Illegal immigrants will also be banned from getting
a UK driving licence.

Visitors
to Britain from outside Europe also face paying an ‘NHS bond’ before
they can get a visa, to curb abuse of taxpayer-funded public services.

They
will have to prove they have private medical insurance or pay a bond of
several thousand pounds, to cover any costs they incur through the
National Health Service.

The law will also be changed to stop criminals and terrorist from abusing human rights laws to avoid deportation.

The
legislation will add legal weight to guidance for judges introduced
last July by Theresa May that foreign criminals should be able to use
Article 8 of the Human Rights Act in exceptional circumstances only.
Judges have continued to ignore the Home Secretary’s guidance because it
was not backed up by primary legislation.

Other measures which do not require
new legislation include only paying jobless benefits to migrants for six
months if they have no chance of getting a job, limiting access to
social housing to people who have lived in the UK for between two and
five years and only giving civil legal aid to people who have been in
Britain for 123 months.

Payment by results plan to stop criminals reoffending and a crackdown on dangerous dogs

The probation service will be opened up to private firms who will be paid on their success at stopping criminals reoffending.

The
Offender Rehabilitation Bill clears the way for companies and charities
to reverse the trend which last year saw 200,000 offences committed by
someone who had already served lengthy terms in jail.

There
will be a new licence period and the supervision order last for a year
for offenders who spend less than 12 months in prison.

For those jailed for one to two years, they will be subject to a licence period for 12 months instead of six.

Drug addict offenders will for before to attend treatment appointments, with testing covering Class B as well as Class A drugs.

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill will aim to cut crime and reform the police.

Dog
laws will be strengthened, but owners could face having to tie their
pet up at home to stop them attacking burglars. The Association of Chief
Police Officers say planned amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act could
leave householders 'liable to prosecution' if their dog bites a burglar
while they are out.

The Bill will also give residents more of a say how those responsible for anti-social behaviour are punished.

Fines
for the illegal importing or exporting guns will be increased, making a
forced marriage will be criminalised, prosecutions for shoplifting will
be accelareated and offenders sent to prison will not be able to avoid
paying a Victims Surcharge by spending more time behind bars.

Ceremonial: The Queen's bodyguards, the Yeoman of the Guard, crouch down to pick up their lanterns at the start of the ceremonial search that begins the annual State opening of Parliament

Event: Armed with lanterns, they search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster, a practice which dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of November 5, 1605

March: The men head for the vaults to search for explosives, after the event was targeted by Guy Fawkes, who tried to kill James I

Search: Yeomen of the Guard file through the Lords as they continue their traditional journey through Parliament

A member of Her Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms adjusts his helmet ahead of the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II

Members of the Household Cavalry undergo last-minute checks at the Houses of Parliament this afternoon

Snooper's charter plan to spy on all emails, web visits and texts ditched

Controversial plans to track all web use were due to be included in the Queen’s Speech but were blocked by Nick Clegg.

The
Deputy Prime Minister said the idea of allowing police and the security
services to monitor the public’s emails and internet visits was ‘not
going to happen’. Civil liberties groups fought a dogged campaign
against the ‘Big Brother’ proposal.

Supporters claim that, without the new laws, paedophiles, organised criminals and terrorists will escape detection.

The
Communications Data Bill was a central plank of the Government’s
counter-terrorism strategy, and Home Secretary Theresa May had been
determined to see it become law.

Instead, the government only committed to tackling ‘the problem of matching internet protocol addresses’.

Ministers
stressed that security agencies use ‘communications data – the who,
when, where and how of a communication, but not its content – to
investigate and prosecute serious crimes’.

People
communicating online are allocated an Internet Protocol (IP) address,
but because they are shared between several people, it is hard for the
police to prove who sent messages which could be linked to crime.

The
government said it was ‘looking at ways of addressing this issue with
Communication Service Providers’. It could involve legislation.

Waiting: Judges sit in the House of Lords as they wait for the start of the State opening of Parliament

Cheerful: Ladies sit in the House of Lords before the State Opening wearing lace dresses and tiaras

Cutting bills and tearing up health and safety laws to help businesses grow

With
the economy still not out of the woods, the government promised a fresh
raft of measures designed to encourage businesses to expand.

The
Deregulation Bill will curb the impact of regulators and watchdogs,
stopping them from interfering if their actions will hamper growth.

Self-employed workers will be exempt from health and safety laws, provided their work poseses no harm to others.

It
will also allow tenants to qualify for Right To Buy after three years
instead of five, scrap rules forcing councils to carry out assessments
of air quality zones and reduce the remit of employment tribunals.

Paper
certificates to prove drivers have car insurance will also be scrapped
and replaced with an online system, saving business around £33 million a
year.

Every firm will
have the bill for their national insurance employers contributions cut
by £2,000, meaning 450,000 – one in three companies – pay nothing in
‘jobs tax’. The change will be passed in the National Insurance
Contributions Bill.

Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: 'The Government has lost its last chance to introduce legislation to unleash business before the next election.

'The National Insurance cut announced at the Budget will reduce the cost of employing staff for small businesses and the flat-rate state pension will benefit modest earners, but the Deregulation Bill is a missed opportunity. It does little to cut back red tape for employers and nothing to tackle the problem of ‘gold-plated’ EU regulation.'

The
Intellectual Property Bill will make it easier for companies to stop
their ideas being stolen. A single patent system covering the whole of
the EU will allow firms to protect their inventions across the
continent.

The Defence
Reform Bill aims to improve the way the Ministry of Defence agrees
multi-billion pound deals for equipment. It also aims to increase the
size of the reserve forces, so that by 2020 they play a greater role in
defence and national security.

A complex web of more than 60 different laws will be combined to stop shoppers getting ripped off.

It includes up-dating rules to protect people when buying e-books and software from being sold sub-standard goods.

There will be new powers to make it easier for victims of rogue businesses to get compensation.

Trading Standards will have more powers to take traders to court to ensure they make amends.

The
Draft Consumer Rights Bill will help people unhappy with home
improvements and make it easier to seek refunds for faulty goods.

Consumer
Minister Jo Swinson said: ‘Stronger consumer protection and clearer
consumer rights will help create a fairer and stronger marketplace. We
are fully aware that this area of law over the years has become
unnecessarily complicated and too confusing, with many people not sure
where to turn if they have a problem.

‘We
are hoping to bring in a number of changes to improve consumer
confidence and make sure the law is fit for the 21st century.’

The
Energy Bill, carried over from the last session, will make it easier
for customers to get the best deal by giving clearer information on
bills.

It will also seek to secure £100billion in private investment in a new generation of power plants.

The
Water Bill aims to make it easier for firms to buy and sell water to
each other to deal with droughts and address problems for homeowners who
cannot get insurance because of flood risks.

Under a gloomy London sky, the Queen's carriage makes its final approach to Parliament this morning

Cavalry men dressed in their full ceremonial uniform stand to attention as Britain's monarch heads to Westminster

Route: Members of The Guards march on The Mall as the Queen heads to Westminster

Full steam ahead for High Speed Rail line linking London to the Midlands and North

The
High Speed Rail line linking London to Birmingham, and Leeds and
Manchester will move a step closer as ministers act to buy land along
the route.

The HS2 Hybrid
Bill will mark a major legal step in the construction of the line which
will cut journey times between the capital and Birmingham by half an
hour to just 49 minutes.

Once passed into law, the government will have the legal power to compulsorily purchase land and homes which sit on the route.It will also give the state the right to build and maintain the new railway.

WHAT IS MISSING? THE PLANNED LAWS WHICH HAVE BEEN SHELVED

The government has quietly dropped a string of ideas it planned to include in this year's Queen's Speech.

Government
sources insist ministers want to focus on issues which matter to
voters, and not adding to living costs or red-tape.

Among the coalition's ideas not included are:

Minimum alcohol pricing: David Cameron is keen on a unit price to stamp out binge drinking but most ministers are opposed

Plain cigarette packaging: Moves to copy Australia in insist all tobacco is sold in olive packets have been shelved

Register of lobbyists: Mr Cameron warned lobbying would be the next big political scandal but a register will not happen

Foreign aid: The coalition promised to enshrine in law a pledge to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on international development

Recall of MPs: Voters would be able to trigger a by-election if their MP is guilty of 'serious wrongdoing'

Snooper's charter: A plan to track all web traffic, social media visits and Skype use has been blocked by the Lib Dems

Gay marriage: There was no mention of government plans to
legalise same-sex weddings, but they will be carried over from the last
parliamentary session

Opponents
of the project who will be forced to leave their homes will have the
right to petition Parliament and have their case heard by a cross-party
committee of MPs in Westminster. The line connecting London to Birmingham is expected to open by 2026.

A
separate High Speed (Preparation) Bill will parliamentary authority to
press ahead with the project, allowing public money to be spent on
design, wildlife studies and 'essential preparatory work'.

Hhomes will not need to be sold to pay for elderly care bills

Elderly
care costs will be capped at £75,000 to stop pensioners having to sell
their homes to pay for care in their final years.

The Care Bill will end the uncertainty for millions of people who face the prospect of never-ending charges for care.

The Queen told MPs and peers the legislation will ‘ensure the elderly do not have to sell their homes to meet their care bills’.

The Government says the move will ‘give everyone peace of mind by protecting them from catastrophic costs’.

More
focus will be put on preventing or delaying care needs, instead of
intervening only at ‘crisis point’. Millions of people caring for
elderly and disabled relatives in England will also be given the right
to receive support from their local councils.

In
response to the Mid-Staffordshire health scandal, the Bill will
introduce Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals and care homes and given
the new Chief Inspector of Hospitals more powers to identify problems
with the quality of care and ensure action is taken more swiftly.

Queen's commitment to keeping Scotland in UK

The government is to step up its warnings about the threat posed to Scotland if it breaks away from the rest of the UK.

Ahead of next year’s referendum, David
Cameron and his ministers will sound the alarm about the impact on
energy security, defence, welfare and pensions if Scotland goes it
alone.

The Queen said: ‘My government will continue to make the case for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.’

Policy papers from the Westminster
government have already warned about legal doubts about an independent
Scotland, and Scottish National Party plans to continue using the pound.

The Queen added that the government will step up security around the Falkland Islands and Gibralter.

She said: ‘My government will ensure
the security, good governance and development of the Overseas
Territories, including by protecting the Falkland Islanders’ and
Gibraltarians’ right to determine their political futures.’

Pomp: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh leave Buckingham Palace ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in London

Pomp and ceremony: The Queen travels by coach to the State Opening, one of the most colourful days in the parliamentary calender

The Imperial State Crown travels in its own carriage ahead of the Queen to Westminster, accompanied by members of the royal household

NO MENTION OF QUEEN'S FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS IN STATE OPENING

The Queen’s Speech contained no details about the monarch’s future engagements, a day after Buckingham Palace announced a review of her long-haul travel.

On previous appearances at the State Opening of Parliament the Queen has set out the highlights of her forthcoming itinerary, including events to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee last year.

There were no such announcements this year and Buckingham Palace said yesterday that the 87-year-old monarch would not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka.

Aides stressed the decision not to attend did not mean that the Queen would be 'slowing down' in her schedule of public engagements.

Today Charles wore the Admiral of the Fleet naval uniform with the Thistle sash and the stars of the Orders of the Garter and the Thistle.He also wore the Order of Merit and the Great Master of the Order of the Bath (neck orders). In his capacity as an an aide de camp to the Queen, he wore an aiguillette, or braided cord.

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a Bruce Oldfield champagne silk and lace gown and the Boucheron tiara which used to belong to the Queen Mother and was loaned to Camilla by the Queen. The Duchess also wore the Dame Grand Cross of the Victoria Order brooch and sash and the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II brooch.

Pensioners are promised a new flat-rate pension to help people plan for their future

The
Pensions Bill will introduce a single-tier pension, worth around £144 a
week at today's prices. The retirement age will rise to 67 from 2026,
eight years earlier than planned.

Years
spent away from work looking after children or caring for elderly
relatives will count towards the value of a person’s final pension.

It is seen as a boost for stay-at-home mothers who have felt penalised by other government measures to help parents who work.

The
plans, which will be put in place by 2016, will see people receive a
pension worth about £7,000 a year provided they can show a record of at
least 35 years working in Britain or caring for children or elderly
relatives.

Small pension
pots will also be more easily transferred to help people who change
jobs. There will be a new single benefit to support people after a
bereavement.

The
Mesothelioma Bill will provide financial support to around 3,500 people
who have contracted asbestos-related cancer who cannot claim
compensation from their former employer or insurer because they cannot
be traced.

They would be eligible to receive around £355million in payments in the first decade.

Minimum alcohol pricing and plain cigarette packets have been shelved

Public
health reforms which would have pushed up the price of alcohol and
forced cigarettes to be sold in plain packets were missing from the
Queen’s Speech.

David Cameron championed the idea of a minimum unit price for alcohol, arguing it would curb problem drinking.But
it was opposed by the George Osborne’s Treasury, Home Secretary Theresa
May, Education Secretary Michael Gove and former Health Secretary
Andrew Lansley.

Just weeks
ago it was reported that the government would also press ahead with laws
forcing tobacco firms to sell cigarettes in plan packets, copying rules
introduced in Australia last year.

But neither featured in today’s list of Bills, which contained no public health legislation at all.

Health
Secretary Jeremy Hunt insisted the ideas had not been dropped
altogether. ‘We haven’t made a decision,’ he told BBC Radio 4.

He
said plans in Scotland for minimum alcohol pricing had been challenged
in the courts, while Australia’s cigarette laws only came into force in
January.

Mr Hunt added:
‘It’s a much harder job to assess the evidence as to how effective it
will be and that takes time. And I want to make sure we do the job
properly so I’m going to take the time that I need to.’

Dr Mark Porter, chairman of council at the British Medical Association, said he was 'bitterly disappointed' that the measures were omitted from the Queen's Speech.

'If the Government U-turns on its pledge to deal with alcohol and tobacco related harm, we will have to question its commitment to protecting the nation's health,' he said.

'A minimum unit price for alcohol would result in a decrease in thousands of alcohol related deaths. Ultimately taxpayers pay the price as the NHS picks up the bill for the damage to health and lives lost from tobacco and alcohol related causes.'

POMP, TRADITION, HOSTAGES AND A HUNT FOR A GUNPOWDER PLOT UNDER PARLIAMENT: THE CUSTOM AND TRADITIONS OF THE QUEEN'S SPEECH

Tradition: Black Rod hammers the door of the House of Commons to invite MPs to proceed to the House of Lords to listen to the Queen's Speech

The Queen's Speech is delivered at the State Opening of Parliament and forms the most colourful event of the parliamentary year.

As Head of State, it is the Queen's duty to formally to open each new session of Parliament.

Before the Queen travels to Parliament from Buckingham Palace, certain historical 'precautions' are observed.

The Yeomen of the Guard, the oldest of the royal bodyguards, armed with lanterns, searches the cellars of the Palace of Westminster, a practice which dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of November 5, 1605.

This is followed by a more scientific police search. Another tradition sees a government whip held 'hostage' at the Palace to ensure the Queen's safe return.

The custom dates back to centuries when the monarch and Parliament were on less cordial terms.

On arrival, the Queen puts on the Imperial State Crown and her parliamentary robe ready for the ceremony itself in the House of Lords.

She is escorted by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and street liners guard the whole route and present arms as the royal party passes.

The Regalia - the Imperial State Crown, the Cap of Maintenance and Sword of State travel in their own carriage, ahead of the monarch, escorted by Members of the Royal Household.

The Queen is met at the Palace of Westminster's Sovereign's Entrance by the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain, who, as Keeper of the Royal Palace, wears scarlet court dress and has hanging at his hip, the golden key to the Palace.

As the Queen moves up the Sovereign's Staircase to the Robing Chamber she passes between two lines of dismounted Household Cavalry soldiers in full dress with drawn swords.

They are the only troops allowed to bear arms within the Royal Palaces.

Historic: In a tradition dating back to the Gunpowder Plot of November 5, 1605, the Yeomen of the Guard, the monarch's bodyguards, take lanterns and search the vaults below Westminster for explosives

After putting on the Imperial State Crown and parliamentary robe, the Queen leads a procession through the Royal Gallery, packed with more than 600 guests, to the Chamber of the House of Lords, where she takes the throne.

The Sovereign's Procession is led by senior parliamentary and government officers, including the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords and the Lord Privy Seal.

The Great Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance, symbols of the Sovereign's power and authority, are carried in front of the Monarch.

When the Queen sits down the Lord Great Chamberlain signals to an official, known as The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in his capacity as the Sovereign's Messenger to summon the House of Commons and demand their presence.

As he approaches the Commons, the door of the Chamber is slammed in Black Rod's face to demonstrate the supremacy of the Lower House over the Lords.

He knocks three times with his Black Rod, from which he derives his name, and is finally admitted.

He says: 'Mr Speaker. The Queen commands this Honourable House' - bowing to the left and to the right as he does so - 'to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers.'

First: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh walking through the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords on her way to the 1952 State Opening of Parliament - her first as monarch

This tradition is a reminder of the right of the Commons to exclude everyone but the Sovereign's messengers.

The Serjeant-at-Arms, carrying the Mace, leads the procession to the Lords followed by the Commons Speaker and Black Rod.

The Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition and MPs follow them, and when they reach the Lords chamber they stand at the opposite end to the throne, known as the Bar.

The Queen's Speech is delivered to the throne by the Lord Chancellor in a special silk bag.

Although the Queen reads the Speech, the content is entirely drawn up by the Government and approved by the cabinet.

The final words, 'other measures will be laid before you', give the Government flexibility to introduce other legislation as necessary.

When the Queen leaves, the Royal Standard is taken down and the Union Flag hoisted.

Afterwards Parliament goes back to work, with each house meeting separately to begin debating the content of the speech.

The Queen has opened Parliament on all but two occasions throughout her reign.

These were 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

It had usually taken place in October, November or December each year.

But the last three-year Parliamentary session has lasted longer than the usual because of the move to five-year, fixed-term parliaments, it means the Queen's appearance at Westminster become a regular springtime event.

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